Why Native Americans will not be watching the solar eclipse

While the whole country watches The Great American Solar Eclipse, an event The American Astronomical Society predicts will be the most-watched total solar eclipse in history, there's a sub-set of the population who won't be watching. We learn why Native Americans are sensitive to an eclipse and believe it's a time of reflection and a time to be indoors.

[iLLSHiNEz]

Instead of staring at the sun, look into your hearts on this day and pray. ☀️

[mattphillips]

"The Native American culture"
Like, there's just one?

[kimberlymcgill]

my great-great-grandmother was pure-blooded Chickasaw. that's exactly what my instinct was to do. stay inside!

[faded]

I'm a EBCI member. From Cherokee NC. I know what my ancestors taught but the biggest thing I learned was family was everything. And the solar eclipse brought not only my family together but the world's families together.

[dannyweldon]

Probably good advice handed down from ancestors who may have been blinded during a full solar eclipse.

[xperiazip]

It was a religious and rejuvenating experience for me because I was outside. We saw totality at a lake, surounded by mountains and trees. Then I spent the whole afternoon swimming in the lake. The weekend also included a hike through the mountains and looking at the galaxy at night.

[cynthiahawkins]

Thanks to these good people, for being voices of reason, calm, and sanity...My late father taught school in Marana, on the PAPAGO land, for some years. He loved and respected the culture and always came away wiser and more enriched, spiritually.The native belief in the context for the eclipse as one of: rejuvenation, rededication, realignment makes the most sense of anything I have heard and read so far. My deep gratitude to you all...

[cheapyweepy]

If you stay inside the house you are still thinking about it.

[Babu-krcr]

Wow that is scary. They are doing the exact opposite of everyone else buying glasses to stare at it and going to outdoor parties and gatherings for it. He said it can effect you mentally down the road years later or even physically.

[shaleenaabron]

I stayed indoors, did some journaling and ended up going to sleep. I just didn't have a strong desire to watch and felt the need to sleep despite having had a restful night's sleep the night before. I later found out that eclipse energies are best downloaded/uploaded during sleep. I also have native ancestry via my father's side that I've never really look into.

[theoneandonlyG.O.A.T]

Omg .. since I was a kid I had a feeling it's not a good thing to watch or participate in any kind of activities around eclipses.. I got in trouble at school because deep down I felt sick and I left the classroom..

Now this makes more sense. .. I am not native American but it's within Me . I always felt that.

Thank you for educating.

[LVioletta]

Very educational. I appreciate that. Thank you for sharing this 💛

[juanita_piju]

I’ll def will be watching but I have spent the time leading up to April 8th learning about how past cultures regarded the solar system and eclipses. It’s good to love science but it’s also beneficial to know how those before us viewed and regarded the skies.

[danelda]

What an incredible people. I was so blessed to grow up with Navajo students. They came from far away leaving their parents, siblings, extended family and friends. Their spiritual awareness far exceeds anyone else. May Adonai bless and keep you always. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Christflames]

What is the big deal? Live in fear all day because the media says --- must be hard living in a prison where nothing and no one is safe.

[lorenaortiz]

Congratulations to all the people that continues with the great culture through the time.

[lovingatlanta]

👍🤔 Beginning 1:55 Listen closely to what Freddie Johnson said. I think the native Americans may know something we non native Americans don't even have a clue about. 😔

[TaranVH]

Real hard-hitting journalism here. Don't bother to ask "What repercussions? What health/mental effects?"

[dickcastle]

Every time he says "sacred" do a shot.

[kylehill]

I'm part Indian and by instinct I mostly stayed indoors during the eclipse. Now I know why. It was actually really weird seeing the lights of the house on in the daytime. I think it was just as special as the corona around the sun seeing the house lights shine bright in a time it is not natural to do so.